6. New Division 2C of Part 3

In the AMA, in Part 3, after Division 2B, insert —“Division 2C — Autonomous motor vehiclesInterpretation of this Division and who may be operator23M.—

In this Division —“approved special use” means the use of an autonomous motor vehicle that is approved under regulations made under section 23N;“approved testbed” means any specified public land in Singapore on which the public paths are approved under regulations made under section 23N for the deployment of any automated vehicle technology or autonomous motor vehicle, or both;“approved trial” means a trial of any automated vehicle technology or autonomous motor vehicle, approved under regulations made under section 23N;“authorised person” means a person authorised under regulations made under section 23N to undertake an approved trial, carry out an approved special use or operate an approved testbed;“liability insurance” —

in relation to an approved trial or approved special use, means a policy of insurance indemnifying the owner and any authorised driver or operator of a vehicle used in that trial or special use —

in relation to death or bodily injury caused by, or arising out of, the use of the vehicle on public paths; and

in relation to damage to property caused by, or arising out of, the use of the vehicle on public paths; and

in relation to the operation of an approved testbed, means a policy of insurance indemnifying the owner and any authorised driver or operator of a vehicle used on public paths in the approved testbed —

in relation to death or bodily injury caused by, or arising out of, the use of the vehicle on public paths in the approved testbed; and

in relation to damage to property caused by, or arising out of, the use of the vehicle on public paths in the approved testbed.

In this Division, a person operates an approved testbed if the person deploys or allows to be deployed by another person any automated vehicle technology or autonomous motor vehicle, or both, on any public path within the approved testbed.

No person may operate an approved testbed except the public authority that has the care, control and management of the approved testbed.Regulation of autonomous motor vehicles, etc., under approved trials, approved special uses and operation of approved testbeds23N.—

The Minister may make regulations to —

provide for the regulation by the Authority of —

the undertaking of any trial of any automated vehicle technology or autonomous motor vehicle on any public path, other than in an approved testbed;

the use of any autonomous motor vehicle on any public path, other than in an approved testbed; or

the deployment of any automated vehicle technology or autonomous motor vehicle, or both, on any public path in an approved testbed;

require the authorised person in respect of an approved trial, an approved special use or an approved testbed to ensure that liability insurance is in force before the start of the approved trial, approved special use or the operation of the approved testbed, and ensure that it is in force at all times during the period of the approved trial, approved special use or the operation of the approved testbed;

require the authorised person to cause to be published (at the authorised person’s cost) one of the following (whichever is applicable):

a notice of the approved trial in a manner as will secure adequate publicity for the approved trial, including —

the area or areas of Singapore in which the trial is approved to be undertaken;

the period during which the trial is approved to be undertaken; and

the name of each person participating in the approved trial;

a notice of the approved special use in a manner as will secure adequate publicity for the approved special use, including —

the area or areas of Singapore in which the special use is approved to be carried out;

the period during which the special use is approved to be carried out; and

the name of each person carrying out the approved special use;

a notice of the operation of the approved testbed in a manner as will secure adequate publicity for the operation of the approved testbed, including —

the land in Singapore that is approved as a testbed;

the period during which the testbed is approved to be operated as such; and

the name of each person who is or may be involved in the operation of the approved testbed; (d)provide for the grant of an authorisation by the Authority to an authorised person to be subject to conditions;

provide for the modification of the conditions mentioned in paragraph (d) by the Authority —

from time to time after affording the authorised person concerned a reasonable opportunity to be heard; or

on the application by the authorised person, if the application is approved by the Authority;

limit the period in which —

an approved trial may be undertaken;

an approved special use may be carried out; or

an approved testbed may be operated;

prescribe the weather and any climatic or other circumstances when —

an approved trial may or may not be undertaken;

an approved special use may or may not be carried out; or

an approved testbed may or may not be operated;

prescribe the design, construction or use of infrastructure technology, equipment or devices in relation to the automated vehicle technology or autonomous motor vehicle that is involved in the approved trial or approved special use, or that is deployed on any public path in an approved testbed, including requiring that the vehicle —

be equipped to capture and store sensor data and video footage from the vehicle; and

have an alert system that allows the authorised person of, or a participant in —

the approved trial or approved special use; or

the operation of the approved testbed,to take immediate manual control of the vehicle when a failure of the autonomous system or other emergency is detected;

prescribe the use of the autonomous motor vehicles —

in the approved trial or approved special use; or

on any public path in the approved testbed,and their design, construction and equipment, for the safety of other path users or for public safety or both;

prescribe the duties of the authorised person in relation to the approved trial, approved special use or the operation of the approved testbed including, but not limited to, requiring the authorised person to —

maintain a register of every autonomous motor vehicle that is used in the approved trial or approved special use, or on any public path in the approved testbed;

maintain a register of every operator of every autonomous motor vehicle mentioned in sub‑paragraph (i);

establish an appropriate monitoring system to ensure that every autonomous motor vehicle mentioned in sub‑paragraph (i) operates in accordance with the conditions of the authorisation mentioned in paragraph (d) while the vehicle is on a public path; (iv)take reasonable measures to ensure that the operator of an autonomous motor vehicle complies with the prescribed duties mentioned in paragraph (k) and (in the case of an operator who fails to comply with any of those duties) to ensure that he or she does not operate any autonomous motor vehicle for the purposes of the approved trial or approved special use, or on any public path in the approved testbed, unless with the Authority’s consent; and

administer any assessment that may be required by the Authority for the purpose of determining the outcomes or results of the approved trial or approved special use, or of every deployment of any automated vehicle technology or autonomous motor vehicle on any public path in the approved testbed;

prescribe the duties of the operator of an autonomous motor vehicle that is used —

in the approved trial or approved special use; or

on any public path in the approved testbed;

require the keeping of records by the authorised person, and the giving of information to the Authority or any other person designated by the Authority (such as sensor data and video footage from the autonomous motor vehicle) about —

the approved trial or approved special use that is undertaken or carried out; or

every deployment of any automated vehicle technology or autonomous motor vehicle on any public path in an approved testbed,including the automated vehicle technology involved in the trial, special use or deployment;

provide the grounds under which any authorisation granted under the regulations to undertake an approved trial, carry out an approved special use or operate an approved testbed may be wholly or partially cancelled or suspended, after affording the authorised person concerned a reasonable opportunity to be heard, unless it is not practicable or desirable to do so in the circumstances of the case, including if —

the Authority is of the opinion that it is no longer in the public interest for the approved trial, approved special use or the operation of the approved testbed to continue; or

the authorised person contravenes or has contravened, or fails or has failed to comply with, a condition of its authorisation, a condition of an exemption contained in the regulations or any other provision in the regulations;

provide for a right to appeal to the Minister (whose decision on appeal is final) against any decision made by the Authority under the regulations cancelling or suspending any authorisation granted under the regulations to undertake an approved trial, carry out an approved special use or operate an approved testbed, and the procedure for those appeals;

provide for the Minister to designate any of the following office‑holders in his or her Ministry to hear and determine, in the Minister’s place, any appeal mentioned in paragraph (n):

the Second Minister, if any;

any Minister of State or Senior Minister of State;

any Parliamentary Secretary or Senior Parliamentary Secretary;

prescribe the fees (either by specifying amounts or by prescribing a method of calculation) in relation to applications or requests to, or the doing of anything by, the Authority under the regulations made under this subsection;

provide that any contravention of any provision of the regulations made under this subsection shall be an offence punishable with a fine not exceeding $10,000; and

prescribe any saving and transitional provisions that may be necessary or expedient.

The Minister may make different regulations under subsection (1) for —

the regulation of the undertaking of an approved trial, the carrying out of an approved special use and the operation of an approved testbed, respectively;

different types of autonomous motor vehicles according to the design, construction and use of those vehicles, respectively; and

different conditions under which autonomous motor vehicles operate in an approved trial, approved special use or approved testbed.

In making any regulations under subsection (1) for an approved trial, an approved special use or the operation of an approved testbed, the Minister must take reasonable steps to prevent information —

that is commercially sensitive in nature; and

that is the subject of a request to the Minister for the information to be kept confidential by a person connected with —

the approved trial, approved special use or the operation of the approved testbed; or

the proposed approved trial, proposed approved special use or the operation of the proposed approved testbed,from being published or otherwise made public under this Division.

The Minister may also make regulations to —

prescribe the conditions or circumstances under which a prescribed autonomous motor vehicle may be used on a public path, otherwise than under an approved trial or approved special use, or the operation of an approved testbed;

provide that any contravention of any provision of the regulations made under this subsection shall be an offence punishable with a fine not exceeding $10,000; and

prescribe any saving and transitional provisions that may be necessary or expedient.

This section and all regulations made under this section continue in force until the end of 30 September 2031.

The Minister may at any time revoke or amend any regulations made under this section without giving anyone prior opportunity to be heard.

All regulations made under this section must be presented to Parliament as soon as possible after publication in the Gazette.Exemptions and modified application of Act to approved trials, approved special uses and operation of approved testbeds23O.—

Regulations made under section 23N(1) for an approved trial, an approved special use or the operation of an approved testbed may, for the purpose of that approved trial or approved special use or any deployment of any automated vehicle technology or autonomous motor vehicle on any public path in that approved testbed —

exempt (with or without conditions) from the application of section 15, 16, 17, 18 or 19 or other specified provisions of this Act or its subsidiary legislation, or the Road Traffic Act 1961 or its subsidiary legislation any of the following:

the authorised person in respect of the approved trial, approved special use or the operation of the approved testbed;

any other person or class of persons —

participating in the approved trial or carrying out the approved special use; or

participating in the deployment of the automated vehicle technology or autonomous motor vehicle on any public path in the approved testbed;

any vehicle or trailer used in the approved trial or approved special use, or on any public path in the approved testbed; and

provide for the application of specified provisions of this Act or its subsidiary legislation, or the Road Traffic Act 1961 or its subsidiary legislation affecting —

the authorised person in respect of the approved trial, approved special use or the operation of the approved testbed;

any other person or class of persons —

participating in the approved trial or carrying out the approved special use; or

participating in the deployment of the automated vehicle technology or autonomous motor vehicle on any public path in the approved testbed; or

any vehicle used in the approved trial or approved special use, or on any public path in the approved testbed,with prescribed exceptions, modifications and adaptations.

Regulations made under section 23N(4) may —

exempt (with or without conditions) from the application of section 15, 16, 17, 18 or 19 or other specified provisions of this Act or its subsidiary legislation, or the Road Traffic Act 1961 or its subsidiary legislation any of the following:

the owner, driver or operator of the prescribed autonomous motor vehicle mentioned in section 23N(4)(a);

the prescribed autonomous motor vehicle mentioned in section 23N(4)(a); and

provide for the application of specified provisions of this Act or its subsidiary legislation, or the Road Traffic Act 1961 or its subsidiary legislation affecting —

the owner, driver or operator of the prescribed autonomous motor vehicle mentioned in section 23N(4)(a); or

the prescribed autonomous motor vehicle mentioned in section 23N(4)(a),with prescribed exceptions, modifications and adaptations.

If a person contravenes or fails to comply with a condition of an exemption contained in any regulations made under section 23N, the exemption does not, while the contravention or non‑compliance continues, operate in that person’s favour.

If, by virtue of subsection (3), a person is guilty of an offence under a provision of this Act or its subsidiary legislation from which the person was exempted by an exemption, the person may be proceeded against for that offence.Interfering with approved trial, approved special use or approved testbed, etc.23P.—

A person who, without reasonable excuse —

hinders or obstructs —

an approved trial or the carrying out of an approved special use; or

any deployment of any automated vehicle technology or autonomous motor vehicle on any public path in an approved testbed; or

interferes with any equipment or device in or on an autonomous motor vehicle, or relating to any automated vehicle technology, used in an approved trial or approved special use, or on any public path in an approved testbed,shall be guilty of an offence and shall be liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding $5,000.

In proceedings for an offence under subsection (1), it is a defence for the accused to prove, on a balance of probabilities, that the accused did not know, and could not reasonably have known, that the activity that caused the hindrance, obstruction or interference would cause the hindrance, obstruction or interference, as the case may be.

To avoid doubt, this section does not affect the operation of the Computer Misuse Act 1993.”.